HOSPITAL workers have accused mental health bosses of keeping people in the dark over closure plans for St Luke’s Hospital.

The Crosland Moor hospital is due to close at the end of this year, but staff have said they are still unsure what will happen to the town’s mental health services.

One worker, who did not want to be named, said: “No one seems to have any idea what is happening in the long term to mental health services in Huddersfield.

“There has been a distinct lack of publicity from anyone over this subject.

“If this town loses its inpatient units will they ever return? I and my colleagues have our doubts.”

The decision was made to close the Blackmoorfoot Road site in 2006 after NHS officials claimed inpatient services were not sustainable.

But new premises for mental health in-patients have not yet been secured and many of hospital’s facilities still remain on site.

These include two wards and outpatient clinics for psychological therapies, facilities for administration staff and community mental health teams.

But staff say it is still unclear where facilities, run by the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, will move.

They are also concerned that there appears to have been little public consultation over the hospital’s closure.

Another staff worker, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Examiner: “I really feel that everyone has been kept in the dark over this.

“There appears to have been little public consultation over this, which is concerning as potentially losing such vital mental health services would have a massive impact on the town.

“We have been having staff meetings, but considering the hospital is meant to close at the end of the year we don’t feel we’ve been given enough information about what services will move and when.

“All we have been told is that the two wards may be moving to Halifax and Dewsbury on an interim basis, but I personally don’t think that once the facilities are moved out of Huddersfield they’ll be coming back.

“A lot of people are saying what’s happening to St Luke’s, but nobody seems to know the answers.”

Another staff member feared the loss of the hospital could spell the end of vital services within the community.

The employee said: “We don’t know what provisions are to be made for the return of inpatient units if they go to other towns or if service users’ needs will be met in the community.

“A move to Dewsbury would isolate people from their loved ones at a time when they need all the support they can get.

“As it seems different community teams may dispersed there is a danger that some patients may be lost to continued care due to be being unable to contact someone.”

A trust spokeswoman said: “The Trust is looking to an interim solution that uses existing mental health facilities in Halifax and Dewsbury.

“Ideally we would like to relocate on an interim basis by the end of the year. This is viewed as an interim move, but this may form part of a final solution for services.

“The emphasis will remain on providing services at local level in accordance with identified need. A majority of care will remain in the community.

“Communication sessions have been held with all staff affected, Trade Unions and service users and carers.”